Thousands gather for rare view of saint's relics in Goa

Thousands of Catholic pilgrims descended on the Indian coastal state of Goa on Saturday to witness the once-a-decade exposition of the relics of a 16th century Spanish missionary.

Devotees from around the world formed a queue of more than one kilometre long to venerate the relics of St Francis Xavier, which are on display until January 4 in the former Portuguese colony.

After a celebratory mass led by Indian archbishops, the relics were taken in a procession from the Basilica of Bom Jesus in the historic city of Old Goa, where they are permanently housed, to the nearby Se Cathedral.